A Happy Handful, Statement 19
A DECLARATION Of all the WATERMEN In about the City of LONDON, between GRAVESEND and STANES. OR, A Hue and Cry after Col. WHITTON and his Decoys.
WHereas it hath been ſeemingly by the inſinuatious of ſome few of us, caſt on our whole Company, that we would lay our ſhoulders, and ſtretch out our helping hands, for the upholding of ſomething, which to our ſelves is both unknown and uncertain, and may likewiſe in probability be a cauſe of diſturbance, if not breaking the peace of the Nation: We, to manifeſt Our innocency in the one particular, and vindicate our ſelves from the ſcandal thereof, as alſo to ſhew our real and hearty concordance with all other, Noblemen, Gentlemen, Citizens and others, of the ſeveral Counties of England, whoſe Declarations are expoſed to the publick view, doe cordially, unanimouſly, and freely declare.
That the Liſt annexed of our names to a Petition pretended by our conſent to be preſented to the Members ſitting at Weſtminſter, is not at all by us owned, neither doe we know any other Authors or Abettors thereof, than ſome few here under-mentioned our names in truth being gained by Colonol Whitton, under the pretence to put down Hackny Coachmen; but by him converted to another uſe, and that ſo contrary to our thoughts and intentions, that we would ſooner have quitted our neareſt relations, than have conſented to ſuch ebulliences. For the undeceiving therefore of the Gentry of this Nation, to whom many, yea, moſt of us are obliged, and conſequently not unknown; for the rectifying the judgments of ſuch as know us not, and for the ſatisfaction of the whole Free-born Subjects of England who with us claim a birth-right in Magna Charta, and the Petition of Right, we doe further, with one Conſent, declare.
That we conceive it fitting, for the redreſſing the grievous wants and preſſures that lie upon all the good people of this Nation, that according to Fundamental Right, the People in Parliament may have their Repreſentatives, who may receive their grievances, and preſent them in their behalf, whereby to obtain a remedy.
And becauſe Faction and Schiſm hath already too great a root, that honeſt and prudential men may be Elected, whoſe Eſtates (as to Temporals) and Religion (as to Spirituals) may oblige them ſincerely to endeavour a Settlement both in Church and State.
The onelyonly meanes for attaining of which ends, we conceive by the bleſſing of God, to be a full and free Parliament, which as we know the Nation groans for, ſo we cordially deſire, and we ſhall not acquieſce, till we have regained that our undoubted Right, hitherto unqueſtioned Priviledge, and never to be denied Lawful Demand. In the defence whereof we ſhall account nothing too dear to loſe, being ready to quit not onelyonly our Employments, but to lay aſide our relations, and lay our lives at ſtake.
This Repreſentation is owned by Ten Thouſand of us (which if deſired) ſhall be acknowledged both with our hands and hearts, againſt all the malicious underminings of Col. Whitton the Painter, and his Decoys: Who upon the tendring that forged Petition to the Watermens Hall, being conſcious that the rankneſs of the Trepan would be preſently ſented, addreſt themſelves to Mr. Pryn, to en their Proteſt againſt it, their names are hereunto annexed.
Viz.
Wil. Lemond.
Joſias Smith.
Wil. Crop.
Wil. Goodale.
Thomas Slator.
Tho. Wasborn.
John Howard.
Wil. Bugby.
Robert Crop.
Tho. Vincent.
John Foſter.
John Lee.
Wil. Sound.
Jacob Meade.
Wil. Clerk.
Martin Craul.
Roger Phillips.
Fran. Borrick.
Richard Thuſee.
Wil. Butler.